01. Only Taste For Decay02. Battered To The Grave03. Crowned In Entrails04. Dismember The Transgender05. Under The Patio06. From Crotch To Crown07. Glorify Through Cyanide08. Set Forth To Annihilate09. Compulsive Beheading Disorder10. Reduced To Stumps

It's been almost six years since we've heard anything new from Prostitute Disfigurement. That's six years too many for this reviewer.

For those who either require an introduction or simply a refresher, these Dutch death metallers released a few albums in the 2000s with about as much hype as any brutal death metal outfit could get: not a lot. Their style was about as straightforward and brutal as possible (taking influence from grindcore here and there), but that changed with the release of Descendants of Depravity back in '08. Of course by that point the band had ceased to exist, failing to capitalize on the momentum of their most catchy and intricately technical album. From Crotch to Crown aims to once again establish that momentum and carry the band into the ranks of the death metal elite.

Having somewhat modernized their sound, Prostitute Disfigurement isn't the kind of name you'll see floating around with the likes of Obscura or Psycroptic. While some tracks display a certain flair for the dramatic in terms of their technicality, it comes across as intentional rather than being done for the sake of showing off. This keeps the flow of the album intact, although it is somewhat of a challenge to differentiate between each song as they all tend to follow a similar formula. Some will call it consistency, others will call it unoriginal - ultimately it depends on personal preference.

Keeping with the musicianship, it should be noted that From Crotch to Crown is easily the band's most melodic output to date, featuring a slew of brief (yet purposeful) solos and a definite focus on upbeat and catchy riffs. The result of this combination of melody and brutality is a complete and even somewhat diversified experience considering the nature of the genre. All of this is augmented by ceaseless blistering drums, blasting their way from beginning to end. Rather than trying to impress the audience with neat tricks or otherworldly techniques, Prostitute Disfigurement are more than satisfied rounding out this album with a balanced approach of a modernized old school sound thanks to a masterful production. That balance also applies to the brutal and melodic aspects of the album, again seemingly taking aim at a strong and consistent finish rather than throwing all the eggs in one basket and potentially botching the big landing.

Regardless of personal preference in regards to death metal's subgenres, From Crotch to Crown manages to offer something for everyone. Prostitute Disfigurement have released their most consistent and balanced album yet, which should please longtime fans as much as any newcomers looking to get acquainted with the Dutch death metal scene.